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“And you’ve been feeling sick in the mornings lately.”
“We’ve been on the run, barely eating—”
“True. But I haven’t woken up nauseous. I just think maybe you should see, that’s all.”
“You’re right,” I said. “We should see.”
CHAPTER69
Honor
We had moved backinto the dragons’ wing at the academy, which was the most comfortable place for all of us while we tried to figure out how to accommodate all of us at the castle.
There was no point in trying to keep secrets from my men; by the time I arrived back at the academy, they were all waiting. They were in the hallway, leaning oh-so-casually against the walls, their hands in their pockets, pretending to be deep in conversation.
I exhaled. Their faces were hard to read, but I could feel mingled excitement and worry; it was hard to pick out individual emotions when they were all feeling so much.
And so was I.
Jaik swept his arm toward the door of his room. “I’ve got three midwives waiting for you.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly, but he didn’t seem to pick up on the tone as he followed me into my room.
I kissed him goodbye and then pushed him out the door of his own bedroom. He resisted, a bewildered look on his face as I pressed him into the long, dark wood hallway.
“You are going to be unbearably overbearing if I am, aren’t you?” I demanded. “You can wait out here. It will only be a few minutes.”
“I’m not overbearing,” he said with a frown. “I just—”
“Don’t argue with her,” Damyn warned quietly. “When it comes to all baby-related matters, Jaik, just surrender…”
Jaik cast him a surprised look, but his lips sealed tightly together above that determined jaw. I grinned at Damyn in thanks, but Damyn looked tense himself.
I crooked my finger at Lynx, who gave Jaik a completely unapologetic grin, and Arren, who looked perplexed and slightly uncomfortable. The two of them followed me in though, and Jaik looked slightly offended as he was left in the hallway. I loved him, but sometimes I needed a break.
I was pretty sure that feeling was mutual, to be honest. For some of us, true love comes with a side of occasional annoyance.
I faced the midwives, who were eyeing each other skeptically. “I shouldn’t be pregnant. I’ve been enchanted to avoid pregnancy.”
“Let’s see,” the tall, dark-haired midwife said. Her shoulders were broad and she looked more like a soldier than a physician to me, but maybe supporting women through labor took muscle. They all went to work, pulling out small pestle and mortars, grinding herbs, mixing potions. I wasn’t sure if they were racing each other, but the next thing I knew, the air was scented with burning spices. One of them marked my forehead with herbs while she muttered a spell, another spooned a potion into my mouth while I was still cringing away from the first, and the third dripped a teaspoon full of smelly potion onto my stomach.
I looked toward Arren in an appeal for help, but he was already at my side, his teeth bared.
They didn’t seem to find him frightening. Maybe it’s hard to scare someone who sees babies delivered daily.
“Mm, someone broke the enchantment on you,” the chubby blond midwife said. “Did you wear any strange jewelry at any point in time or…”
I closed my eyes. Kallus. That absolute asshole.
When had he done it? When I thought back to my time in the Grey Kingdom, that enchantment forundoingcould have been contained in any one of his many gifts. Even before he gave me that damned amulet, I’d happily clasped his bracelets around my wrists and his necklaces around my throat. I’d been so naïve then, and so happy for my uncle to care about me.
Meanwhile, he’d been setting all the pieces for the many different games he was playing on a half-dozen different boards.
I opened my eyes to realize the ladies were glaring at Lynx and Arren.
“Oh, no, it’s not them.” I rushed to their defense. “It’s my evil uncle. Well. Was.”
Lynx gave me a sympathetic look, resting his hand on my shoulder. I leaned back into him, drawing comfort from his solid, muscular warmth, as always.
